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Professor Michael Harker, PhD

Michael

Head of the Department of Law

Profile

Michael joined Queen Mary in October 2023 and became the Head of the Department of Law from 1 November 2023. 

Before then he was a member of UEA Law School from September 2002. He became a Professor in 2013, was the School's Director of Research from 2015-2022 and became the Head of School in August 2022. He was a founding member of the UEA Centre for Compeititon Policy.

Michael's research interests are in regulation, competititon and media law. His research has been funded by various bodies including the ESRC, the Department of Business, and Ofcom.

His current work is on the future of energy regulation, political campaigning in the digital sphere and due impartiality in broadcasting.

He is interested in supervising research students in competition law, media law and energy regulation.

Research

Funded research

  • UKERC funded project on energy regulation and net zero

Work in progress or projects / conferences and conference papers

  • Work on energy regulation and net zero
  • Digital political campaigning

Publications

Leading Peer-Reviewed Publications (since 2010)

  • “Statutory duties and shaping the decision-making of an economic regulator: insights from the energy regulation community past and present” (with Reader) Journal of Law and Society (2022) 49(1) Journal of Law and Society 118-150 (Open Access)
  • “Political advertising revisited: digital campaigning and protecting democratic discourse” (2019) 40(1) Legal Studies 151-171 [REF2021]
  • “‘Moving in concentric circles’? The history and politics of press inquiries” (with Street and Cross) (2017) 37(2) Legal Studies 248–278 [REF2021]
  • “Universal service obligations and the liberalization of network industries: taming the Chimera?” (with Kreutzmann-Gallasch) (2016) 12(2-3) European Competition Journal 236-76 [REF2021]
  • “Regulatory Gaming, Myopia and Ineptitude? Ofcom's Intervention in the UK Pay-TV Market” (2014) 6(1) Journal of Media Law 121-148 [REF2021]
  • “EU competition law as a tool for dealing with regulatory failure: the broadband margin squeeze cases” [2013] Journal of Business Law 817-841
  • “Judicial Review of Merger Decisions in the EC, Germany and UK: Comparative perspectives” (with Wright and Peyer) (2011) 60(1) International Comparative Law Quarterly 93-124
  • “The EU rules on standing in merger cases: should firms have to demonstrate ‘harm to competition” (with Hviid and Wright) (2011) 36(4) European Law Review 500-523
  • “Antitrust law and administrability - consumer vs. total welfare” (2011) 34(3) World Competition 433-447
  • “The transformation of broadcasting: public service broadcasting, the BBC and the distortion of new media markets” (2011) 62(4) Northern Ireland Law Quarterly 553-68
  •  

Public Engagement

  • Member of the AHRC Peer Review College
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